In a discovery at a Northport, Long Island home, more than 200 animals, along with a 95-year-old woman, were found living in dire conditions. Samantha Boyd, a 57-year-old state-certified wildlife rehabilitator, has been charged with animal cruelty and endangering the welfare of an elderly person, Suffolk County authorities announced. Boyd's partner, Neal Weschler, age 61, is also facing charges related to the incident. According to the findings reported by Gothamist, the animals, which included roosters, geese, turkeys, and doves, were kept in overcrowded cages amidst waste, contaminated food, and insects.
The couple was arrested following the execution of a search warrant, where Suffolk County officials encountered the hoarded animals in conditions described as squalid. The elderly woman was reportedly confined on the second floor of the property, a press release from the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office shared by CBS News detailed. Authorities had received a complaint about potential animal hoarding at the residence situated on Fort Salonga Road, which led to this unsettling discovery.
Upon arrival, officers found a multitude of animals, some being wild species which Boyd was certified to rehabilitate. The list included various rodents, birds, domestic pets, and even turtles. Animals were reported to be "living in cages with piles of waste and filth, with unsanitary food and water sources, in severe states of overcrowding," and the house was "infested with insects, spiders, and other pests," Suffolk County officials said, as cited by CBS News. The DA's Biological, Environmental, and Animal Safety Team, known as BEAST, along with non-profit organizations, were involved in rescuing the animals and the elderly woman.
Several rescue groups, such as Humane Long Island and Sweetbriar Nature Center, coordinated the effort to remove the animals and the woman from the residence. These organizations also took on the responsibility for medical evaluations and rehabilitation of the rescued animals, many of which, officials say, will soon be available for adoption. "This was a deeply distressing situation, but thanks to the swift action and collaboration between our office and the dedicated rescue partners, these animals are now safe and receiving the care that they urgently need," Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney expressed in a statement obtained by Gothamist.
